In May 2020, the University declared a Climate Emergency and adopted 11 Climate Action Framework Principles to guide our whole institution response.

The University has committed through these principles, to challenging carbon targets, including being Net Zero Carbon in its scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2040.

Summary for 2022

• In Education, our pilot climate literacy programme started the process of supporting students in understanding the basics of the climate emergency and mitigation approaches.
• We are directing research towards climate related challenges thanks to the launch of the multidisciplinary Bath Beacons, and the GW4 Climate Alliance.

• LEAF Pilot launched to support labs in understanding and driving down their environmental impacts.

• The University’s total CO2 emissions in 2020/21 are estimated at 103,000 tCO2e, a reduction of 11% compared with 2019/2020. This was in part due to the completion of the IAAPS building.

• Covid-19 also had a significant effect - there was a significant rise in gas consumption to heat buildings that had to be kept well ventilated, but emissions from business travel declined by 95%.

• Refining the calculation of our scope 3 emissions, those carbon emissions embedded in the products we buy and how we travel.

• Commissioned a detailed heat decarbonisation study of the campus, funded by the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund.

• Ran our first Annual Climate Action Survey open to all staff and students.